Here are the precautions the province wants grocery stores to take

Grocery stores remain open as an essential service in Saskatchewan and the province has released a list of recommendations to ensure the safety of workers and customers.

Cleaning and Hygiene

Food retailers are being encouraged to enhance the store’s sanitation plan and schedule. Disinfecting of commonly contacted areas like door knobs and handles, keyboards, scales, bathroom surfaces, pin pads, self pay stations, carts and handbaskets should be increased.

Stores continue to be reminded to ensure employees are practicing proper hygiene, such as washing hands, using hand sanitizer, avoiding touching their face and coughing or sneezing into a tissue.

Customers are encouraged not to bring their own containers, reusable bags or boxes into the stores.

The province said there is not any evidence that COVID-19 can be passed on by touching or handling cash, however, employees should still limit the handling of cards and cash.

Gloves are not required, but if staff are using gloves, they should be changed after every interaction or between tasks.

Hand sanitizer and wipes should be available near doors, pay stations and other high traffic locations.

• Golden Mile Superstore employee tests positive for COVID-19

Physical Distancing

The province is asking grocery stores to continue to promote physical distancing.

Some suggestions include using a physical queue or floor markers to control customer proximity while waiting in line, making announcements to remind customers to stay two metres away from each other and consider monitoring the number of customers and staff until the maximum is reached.

Options for telephone and online orders are also being encouraged as an alternative to in-person shopping.

Symptoms

If a customer arrives at a store with cold, flu or COVID-19-like symptoms, the government said they should be asked to return home and use a delivery service instead.

Workers are encouraged to self-monitor for symptoms and use the province’s self-assessment tool.

Employers are also being asked to have a plan in place for an increase in worker absences. The government suggests sick employees should stay home, or be sent home. If an employee goes home sick, their work areas should be cleaned and disinfected.

More information about these recommendations can be found on the Government of Saskatchewan website.